Arrow to the Heart
by MewLuna
Summary: Artemis's brain could only stop her wounded heart to a point. As soon as she heard Wally's voice she sank to her knees. Her lips trembled and she could feel her throat get thick with glue. "Please..." she muttered, "please, stop. Not enough time has passed. I'm too raw." Spitfire, one-shot, complete. SPOILERS for 'Endgame', beware!


**Arrow to the Heart**

**Disclaimer: I don't own YJ or its characters. WARNING: major spoilers for the episode 'Endgame'. Read at risk! **

"_How is this even possible?_"

Her question came out in a hushed whisper. Artemis was frozen in place, chills zipping up and down her spine. She felt like an arrow just punctured through her heart. Of course, that feeling already happened to her once... when he died.

Now here he was. Wally. There was no difference in his appearance, no changes to his handsome face. The only thing that had changed was the sparkle in those green eyes of his. Now they gleamed with grave sadness.

The two continued to look at each other. No words were exchanged. Artemis could only hear her loud hammering heart try to beat out of her chest. Nothing could prepare her to be face-to-face with her dead fiance once again. Nothing.

Finally his voice broke the silence. "Hey love."

It was almost sadistic, wasn't it? To hear the voice of the man who loved her and who she loved back. To hear the voice of the man who sacrificed his life for the world. To hear the voice of a man who no longer lives. This wasn't real, there's no way it can be. This wasn't possible, and no explanation could prove otherwise.

But Artemis's brain could only stop her wounded heart to a point. As soon as she heard Wally's voice she sank to her knees. Her lips trembled and she could feel her throat get thick with glue. "Please..." she muttered, "please, stop. Not enough time has passed. I'm too raw."

The young man walked closer to her and sank down on his knees as well. His tall and lanky form leaned over hers, and she felt his strong arms embrace her. This wasn't real. This was just her mind bringing up memories of Wally hugging her. This was all her mind.

Artemis was telling the truth, after all. It hadn't been long enough. Wally's death took place only a month ago. And every single day she's relived that tragic horror.

There was no denying the emotions that welled up inside her from his hug. "I'm so sorry," he whispered into her ear. She could feel the hot breath that ghosted with his words. "Love, I'm so sorry about everything."

"Why are you here? Why are you... and why am I?"

Her questions were cut short when she started to cry. Artemis buried her face into his shoulder and cried into his warm embrace. He hugged her even tighter and she cried even harder. "This isn't your mind playing games with you," Wally then said softly.

"Then what is this?" she asked immediately. "What other explanation could you possibly have?"

His thumbs were rubbing small circles into her back, just like he used to do when they were alone in their apartment. "You're asleep right now, babe. This is a dream."

"Well great. So you're just a part of my imagination, aren't you?"

"It gets a bit more complex than that."

Artemis leaned back so she could look into his face. It hurt to see Wally's handsome face because it reminded her how much she truly misses him. It wasn't fair, how she lost him. But she lost her lover in war... and nothing about war is fair. If he didn't sacrifice himself the whole world would be gone.

That was a truth that the young woman could accept. Her logic could, anyway. But her heart was still torn in two. That's why Artemis, Kid Flash's partner, was dead. Tigress was in her place.

She looked into the depths of his green eyes. Could her subconscious really be that convincing? Because in that moment she really thought she was staring at Wally. But it would be foolish to think so, wouldn't? Wishful thinking.

"Wally," Artemis murmured. He leaned forward and pressed his lips against her nose. She could feel the slightly chapped sensation tickle. How could her imagination get small details like that of him? "Please explain," she asked with a trembling voice.

"Of course," he told her softly. He placed one more heart wrenching kiss on her nose. "I'm dead, Artemis. That much is true, at least for right now." He went ahead and got the hardest news out of the way first. "But you believe in spirit, don't you? You believe in the impossible?"

The young woman was wounded. A half was torn out of her the second he was gone. "At this point, I don't know what is possible."

"Babe, I'm here. It's really me. You're not imagining this."

"But you said I was asleep. You said I'm dreaming."

"You are, Artemis. That's how I was able to come see you." She didn't understand. Perhaps it was her grief that was keeping her from seeing the truth, or perhaps it was her sadness that disabled her. Wally didn't give up, he kept on talking. "I'm dead on your physical plain, Artemis. My body was disintegrated. But my spirit has kept on going. I went to the same plain as Kent Nelson. Remember that old fart?"

Suddenly, the logic began to turn in her brain. Yes, Kent Nelson, the elderly sorcerer that had died a long time ago. "What about him?" she asked.

Wally gave her a small smile. "Kent taught me how to visit you in your dreams."

"And that's how you're here with me right now?"

"That's how, love."

There were two realities Artemis could accept; one, she was dreaming and her subconscious developed Wally as a coping mechanism. Wally West is actually dead, he's been dead for close to a month, and nothing can change that so in desperation her brain thought up this elaborate fantasy.

Two; everything her dead lover just told her was true. Wally West is still dead but his spirit is very much alive, he was able to find Kent Nelson, and the deceased sorcerer was in fact able to teach him how to visit her in her dreams. If that were the case, this really is Wally.

Which reality did the young woman want to accept?

Tears started to fall down her cheeks once again. Artemis ran one hand through his fiery hair and gently cupped his cheek with the other. "I don't want to make this wound deeper," she sobbed. "Losing you kills me every single day. If I lose this too, I really won't be able to cope."

Wally took both her hands in his and held them tightly. "You will never lose me," he told her seriously. There was pain and suffering in his voice, too. "I am so sorry, Artemis. I know I've hurt you badly. And I know that by coming into your dreams I've hurt you even more. It was selfish of me and I'm sorry."

There was a long silence between the living young woman and the deceased young man.

"I don't hate you for what you did," Artemis whispered. "And I don't blame you. You did what you had to do and I will _never_ hold that against you."

"I know. That's what makes you so awesome." He stopped looking at their entwined hands and locked eyes with her dark orbs. "But I never told you how much I loved you. I'm sorry for that."

She swallowed a large lump in her throat. "Tell me now," Artemis said softly. "In fact, you owe me more than that. _Show me_ how much you love me."

Wally couldn't help the small smirk that flashed across his face before he brought his lips to hers. Their kiss was instantaneous. The minute he kissed her, something clicked for the young woman.

_This is real, _she realized.

It didn't matter if logic said otherwise. It didn't matter if everything else in the world said otherwise. She knew this was real. And the only explanation she needed was this; Wally truly loved her. He loved her with every fiber of his being and every inch of his spirit. She felt the same.

Their mouths were melded together and refused to break. He kissed her with the same passion he used to, just with more desperation. Hands ran up sides, going to familiar places and places that hadn't been touched in awhile. Artemis could feel that same fire burning inside of her. And she was supposed to believe this was a dream?!

Wally gave her one more kiss before breaking their mouths apart and attacking her neck. She hugged him as close to her body as she possibly could. Breathy moans took the place of sobs.

"I don't want to wake up," Artemis moaned.

He continued to kiss and suck her neck. "You have to, babe."

"Please tell me you're going to be here again. Please tell me that I can expect you here when I fall asleep again." How desperate she sounded.

Wally lifted his head to look her in the eyes. "It's a date." He smiled at his words.

"Good," she replied, "because if you said no I was prepared to kill you. Again." He gave a small chuckle. She laughed as well, and for the first time in a long while the couple shared a happy moment. Artemis nuzzled her head into his chest and he held her tightly. "At least you're not a zombie."

Wally laughed a little harder. "That would be awful. I'd be all ugly and fleshy."

"No kidding."

"You would have to cut off my head and destroy my beautiful face."

"You'd be a zombie, your face wouldn't be beautiful."

"Lies."

Artemis laughed and enjoyed the warmth from his hug. "It feels like I'm gonna wake up soon," she murmured sadly.

He kissed the top of her head. "I swear to you, everything will be okay." There was more than one meaning behind his words. Okay as in Artemis would get over his death and move on happily. Okay as in Wally might just come back to life (preferably not as a zombie). Or okay as in right now; his spirit visiting her in her dreams.

Either way, the young woman was okay with okay. "I love you," she murmured.

"I love you more."

~X~X~X~

Bart Allen opened the door. He knocked several times and there was no answer. "Artemis, you in here?" he asked. The door swung open and he saw the blonde on the other side. She wasn't wearing her Tigress mask like she usually did. Now the new Kid Flash could see the young woman's face. She was smiling.

"Hello," she said softly.

"Uh, hey. We're getting ready to leave soon, I was just checking on you," Bart said. He hadn't seen Artemis smile in a long time.

She nodded and stretched out her arms. "Yeah, sounds good. I just woke up from a nap is all."

Bart nodded. "Sounds crash. I'll see you in a few minutes." He closed the door again.

The young woman closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I'll be taking naps more often," she said to herself with a smile.

**Author's Note:**

… **Okay, I have a LOT to say about this story. This was my own coping mechanism after watching Endgame. Um... yeah... HOLY F***ING CRAP WALLY CAN'T BE DEAD! HE CAN'T BE! NOOOOOOOOOO! I am seriously FEELING the FEELS of despair! HE DEAD! NOOOOOOOOOO! **

**But then again there's that chance that he's not dead.**

**But then again there's that chance that yeah, he is dead. **

**Either way, I wrote this. I didn't want to do full-on Artemis in despair angst. This was the only way I could think of to keeping shipping Spitfire. Guys, I really hope Wally comes back. I do, I really do. But who knows. I'm optimistic, but I'm also reluctant. HOLY CRAP, THE DRAMA! **

**So yeah, I had to write this. I would so appreciate the reviews. I dunno, I just wanted to write some hope. This fiction gives me hope. And sadness. AND, AND, AND, WALLY PLEASE BE ALIVE! **

**I'm so sorry I'm so weird. Thank you for reading. **

**~Luna**


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